Side-by-side vehicle

ABSTRACT

A utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame assembly, a cab frame assembly, a front suspension assembly, a rear suspension assembly, a power steering assembly, and a powertrain assembly, all of which may be configured to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/873,726, filed on Sep. 4, 2013, the completedisclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to all-terrain and utilityvehicles and, more particularly, to side-by-side utility vehiclesconfigured to carry at least an operator, a passenger, and cargo.

Generally, all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) and utility vehicles (“UVs”)are configured to carry one or two passengers and cargo over a varietyof terrains. Side-by-side vehicles, in which the driver and passengerare seated beside each other on laterally spaced apart seats, havebecome popular because of the ability to allow the passenger to sharethe driver's viewpoint and riding experience instead of being positionedbehind the driver.

ATVs and UVs are configured for various types of terrain andperformances, and as such, it may be desirable for the vehicle to have alow center of gravity. A lower center of gravity may provide the ATVsand UVs with more stability on rugged terrain.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one embodiment of the present disclosure a utility vehicle comprisesa plurality of front ground engaging members, a plurality of rear groundengaging members positioned rearward of the front ground engagingmembers, and a frame assembly supported by the front and rear groundengaging members. The utility vehicle further comprises a powertrainassembly operably coupled to the front and rear ground engaging membersand a front suspension assembly operably coupled to the front groundengaging members. The front suspension assembly includes upper alignmentarms, lower alignment arms, shock absorbers, and a torsion bar. Theutility vehicle also comprises a steering assembly operably coupled tothe front ground engaging members. The steering assembly includes asteering wheel, a steering rack, and steering arms. The torsion bar ispositioned intermediate the upper alignment arms and the lower alignmentarms.

A further embodiment of the present disclosure includes a utilityvehicle comprising a plurality of front ground engaging members, aplurality of rear ground engaging members, and a frame supported by thefront and rear ground engaging members. The frame includes a front frameportion and a rear frame portion. The front frame portion includesupstanding members defining a front plane of the utility vehicle. Theutility vehicle further comprises a powertrain assembly operably coupledto the front and rear ground engaging members, a front suspensionassembly operably coupled to the front ground engaging members, and arear suspension assembly operably coupled to the rear ground engagingmembers. The front ground engaging members extend forward beyond thefront plane of the utility vehicle.

Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes autility vehicle comprising a plurality of ground engaging members and aframe assembly supported by the ground engaging members. The frameassembly is comprised of a first material. The utility vehicle furthercomprises a powertrain assembly operably coupled to the ground engagingmembers and supported on the frame assembly, and a cab frame assemblycoupled to the frame assembly. The cab frame assembly is comprised of asecond material. A weight of the first material is greater than that ofthe second material.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cab frame assemblycomprises a front upstanding member, a rear upstanding member positionedrearward of the front upstanding member, and a longitudinal membercoupled to front and rear upstanding members. At least one of the frontupstanding member, the rear upstanding member, and the longitudinalmember includes a plurality of internal ribs and an internal channel.

Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes autility vehicle comprising a plurality of ground engaging members, aframe assembly supported by the ground engaging members, and apowertrain assembly supported by the frame assembly. The powertrainassembly includes an engine, a transmission operably coupled to theengine, an air intake assembly fluidly coupled to the engine, and anexhaust assembly fluidly coupled to the engine. The exhaust assembly isconfigured to selectively regulate a flow of exhaust from the engine inresponse to at least one of a drive mode, an operator input, and athrottle position.

In a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a cabframe assembly comprises a front upstanding member, a rear upstandingmember positioned rearward of the front upstanding member, and alongitudinal member coupled to the front and rear upstanding members. Atleast one of the front upstanding member, the rear upstanding member,and the longitudinal member is extruded.

In another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a utilityvehicle, comprises a plurality of ground-engaging members and a frameassembly supported by the plurality of ground-engaging members. Theframe assembly includes a front end and a rear end. The utility vehiclefurther comprises a cab frame assembly coupled to the frame assembly andextending above the frame assembly to define an operator area. At leastone seat is positioned within the operator area and includes a seatbottom and a seat back. The utility vehicle further comprises a frontsuspension assembly coupled to the front end of the frame assembly. Thefront suspension includes a shock absorber, an alignment arm, and atorsion bar. The utility vehicle also comprises a rear suspensionassembly coupled to the rear end of the frame assembly. The rearsuspension assembly includes a shock absorber, an alignment arm, and atorsion bar. A center of gravity of the utility vehicle is configured tobe lowered by at least one of including a recess on the seat back,extruding the cab frame assembly, positioning the torsion bar of thefront suspension assembly approximately 5 inches from a bottom of theframe assembly, and positioning the torsion bar of the rear suspensionassembly approximately 6 inches from a bottom of the frame assembly.

The above mentioned and other features of the invention, and the mannerof attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itselfwill be better understood by reference to the following description ofembodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a left front perspective view of the vehicle of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a right rear perspective view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is right side view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9A is a left front perspective view of a frame of the vehicle ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 9B is a left rear perspective view of a portion of the frame ofFIG. 9A;

FIG. 10 is a right rear perspective view of the frame of FIG. 9A;

FIG. 11 is a left front perspective view of a front frame portion of theframe of FIG. 9A;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a bumper and the front frame portion ofFIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a coupler assembly of the bumper ofFIG. 12, taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a left rear perspective view of a rear frame portion of theframe of FIG. 9A;

FIG. 15 is a further left rear perspective view of the rear frameportion of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a left rear perspective view of a coupler assembly of therear frame portion of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is left front perspective view of a cab frame assembly of thevehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the cab frame assembly of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the cab frame assembly of FIG. 17,taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is a further cross-sectional view of the cab frame assembly,taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 is a right front perspective view of an inner surface of aretainer bar of the cab frame assembly of FIG. 17;

FIG. 22 is a left side view of a front end of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 23 is an exploded view of a grille of a cooling assembly of thevehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 24 is a left rear perspective view of the grille of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an exploded view of an access panel of the vehicle of FIG. 1configured to enclose a portion of an engine compartment;

FIG. 26 is a left rear perspective view of a seat of the vehicle of FIG.1;

FIG. 27 is a rear view of a display screen within a dashboard assemblyof the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 28 is a left rear perspective view of a front suspension assemblyand a rear suspension assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 28A is a left rear perspective view of the rear suspension assemblyof FIG. 28;

FIG. 28B is a front view of the rear suspension assembly of FIG. 28A;

FIG. 28C is a top view of the rear suspension assembly of FIG. 28B;

FIG. 29A is a left front perspective view of the front suspensionassembly of FIG. 28;

FIG. 29B is a left side view of a hub assembly of the front suspensionassembly of FIG. 29A;

FIG. 29C is a front view of a portion of the front suspension assemblyof FIG. 29A;

FIG. 30 is an exploded view of the front suspension assembly of FIG.29A;

FIG. 31A is a left side view of the front suspension assembly of FIG.29A and a steering assembly;

FIG. 31B is a left rear perspective view of an alternative embodimentsteering arm of the steering assembly of FIG. 31A;

FIG. 32 is a left rear perspective view of an air intake assembly of thevehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 32A is a right rear perspective view of an alternative embodimentair intake assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 32B is a left rear perspective view of the air intake assembly ofFIG. 32A positioned within a portion of a cargo box of the vehicle ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 32C is a rear view of a portion of the air intake assembly of FIG.32B;

FIG. 32D is a top view of the portion of the air intake assembly of FIG.32C;

FIG. 32E is a left rear perspective view of the portion of the airintake assembly of FIG. 32D positioned within a portion of the cargobox;

FIG. 33 is a left rear perspective view of an exhaust assembly of thevehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 33A is a left rear perspective view of an alternative embodimentexhaust assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 34 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of the exhaustassembly of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a left front perspective view of doors of the vehicle of FIG.1;

FIG. 36 is a left front perspective view of an alternative embodimentvehicle of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 37 is a left rear perspective view of a front suspension assemblyand a rear suspension assembly of the alternative embodiment vehicle ofFIG. 36; and

FIG. 38 is a left rear perspective view of a powertrain assembly of thevehicle of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views. Unless stated otherwise the drawings areproportional.

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the followingdetailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and describedso that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. While thepresent disclosure is primarily directed to a utility vehicle, it shouldbe understood that the features disclosed herein may have application toother types of vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles,watercraft, snowmobiles, people movers, and golf carts.

With reference to FIGS. 1-8, a utility vehicle 2 is shown. Vehicle 2 mayinclude light-weight components and/or may position heavier componentslower on vehicle 2 in order to lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2.

Vehicle 2 includes a front end 4 and a rear end 6. A plurality of groundengaging members, including front wheels 8 and rear wheels 10, supportutility vehicle 2 on a ground surface. In one embodiment, front and rearwheels 8 and 10 may include tires having an outer diameter ofapproximately 26-32 inches. When including 26-inch tires on front andrear wheels 8, 10, the center of gravity of vehicle 2 may be lowered.Illustratively, the width between the centers of the hubs of rear wheels10 defines a width of vehicle 2, which may be approximately 45-55inches. Illustratively, the width of vehicle 2 at ride height andwithout any payload (e.g., cargo, driver, and/or passenger) may beapproximately 50 inches.

Rear end 6 of utility vehicle 2 supports portions of a powertrainassembly 250, which, as shown in FIG. 38, includes at least an engine252, a variable clutch assembly 254, illustratively a continuouslyvariable transmission (“CVT”), a transmission 255, front final driveunit 256, rear final drive unit 258, an exhaust assembly 280, and an airintake assembly 260. Portions of powertrain assembly 250, such as engine252, transmission 255, and variable clutch assembly 254, may bepositioned on vehicle 2 such that the weight distribution of vehicle 2may be approximately 40/60 or approximately 35/65, as measured fromfront end 4 to rear end 6 along longitudinal axis L. Additionally,powertrain assembly 250 may be configured to lower the center of gravityof vehicle 2. For example, the position of engine 252 may be lowered inorder to lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2. In one embodiment,engine 252 may be lowered by approximately 5-10 mm, and moreparticularly, by approximately 7 mm, in order to lower the center ofgravity of vehicle 2. Also, the position of variable clutch assembly 254and/or transmission 255 may be lowered by approximately 5-10 mm, andmore particularly, by approximately 7 mm in order to lower the center ofgravity of vehicle 2.

In one embodiment, engine 252 is configured for at least approximately60-75 hp. Additionally, front final drive unit 256 may be configured asa close-ratio drive unit. By configuring front final drive unit 256 as aclose-ratio drive unit, less slip is needed to engage front wheels 8when vehicle 2 operates in an all-wheel drive and/or four-wheel drivemode. Furthermore, by configuring front final drive unit 256 as aclose-ration drive unit, vehicle 2 may include active descent control.

A frame assembly 20 extends between front end 4 and rear end 6 ofutility vehicle 2 and is supported on front wheels 8 and rear wheels 10.Frame assembly 20 supports a cargo box 12 at rear end 6 and an operatorarea 14 between front end 4 and rear end 6. As shown in FIG. 5, in oneembodiment, cargo box 12 includes a first side wall 12 a, a second sidewall 12 b, and a removable panel 13, which provides access to an enginecompartment for powertrain assembly 250 and other components of vehicle2 positioned below cargo box 12. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, side wall 12 asupports an engine intake port 502 and side wall 12 b supports a clutchintake port 500 for an air intake assembly 260 or 260′, as detailedfurther herein. In one embodiment, intake ports 500 and 502 includefilters therein.

Cargo box 12 may be comprised of a polymeric material. In oneembodiment, cargo box 12 is comprised of a light-weight polymericmaterial, which decreases the weight of vehicle 2. As such, the centerof gravity of vehicle 2 may be lowered when cargo box 12 is comprised ofa light-weight material.

Operator area 14 includes seating for at least an operator and apassenger in a side-by-side arrangement. Illustratively, operator area14 includes a plurality of bucket-type seats 15, each having a seatbottom 16 and a seat back 18. Seat bottom 16 and seat back 18 may becoupled to each other or may be separate therefrom. Alternativeembodiments of seats 15 may include a bench-type seat, in which one seatbottom 16 and one seat back 18 support both the operator and thepassenger. In one embodiment, the height of seat back 18 may bevertically adjustable to accommodate different heights of operators andpassengers. Additionally, in one embodiment of seats 15, seat bottom 16may be configured to slide or otherwise move in a longitudinal directionto further increase the comfort of the operator and passenger. Furtherdetails about seats 15 of vehicle 2 may be disclosed in U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/829,743, filed on May 31, 2013, thecomplete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by referenceherein.

As shown in FIG. 2, vehicle 2 includes a dashboard assembly 200 and afloorboard assembly 210. Floorboard assembly 210 extends forward ofseats 15 and is coupled to dashboard assembly 200. Floorboard assembly210 includes a plurality of horizontal boards 212 and a plurality ofdead pedals 214. Illustratively, one horizontal board 212 supports theoperator's feet and another horizontal board 212 supports thepassenger's feet. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, horizontal boards212 may include at least one drain 216. Horizontal boards 212 mayinclude a cap configured to fit within an opening in horizontal boards212. The cap is removably coupled to horizontal boards 212 and may beopened or removed in order to allow fluids, dirt, and debris to flow outof operator area 14 when cleaning operator area 14.

Referring back to FIG. 2, dead pedals 214 are angled upwardly fromhorizontal boards 212 in order to also support the operator's feet andthe passenger's feet. Illustrative dead pedals 214 may be integral withhorizontal boards 212, or alternatively, may be separate therefrom andcoupled thereto with conventional fasteners. Further details aboutfloorboard assembly 210 of vehicle 2 may be disclosed in U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/829,743, filed on May 31,2013, the complete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated byreference herein.

Referring to FIGS. 9A-11, frame assembly 20 extends along a longitudinalaxis L of utility vehicle 2 (FIG. 6) and includes a front frame portion22, a mid-frame portion 24, and a rear frame portion 26. Frame assembly20 includes forward longitudinally-extending members 28 extendingbetween front frame portion 22 and rear frame portion 26. A plurality ofcross-members 30, 32, and 34 extend transversely to longitudinal axis Land are coupled to both forward longitudinally-extending members 28.Additionally, a skid plate 86 may be coupled to forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28 and/or cross-members 30, 32, and 34.Skid plate 86 also extends between front frame portion 22 and rear frameportion 26 and is positioned below forward longitudinally-extendingmembers 28 and cross-members 30, 32, and 34.

At front frame portion 22, forward longitudinally-extending members 28are coupled to alignment arm brackets 36 for a front suspension assembly170, as detailed further herein. Illustratively, front frame portion 22includes at least four alignment arm brackets 36. Additionally, forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28 are coupled to a lower plate member38, which is spaced apart from and positioned below an upper platemember 39. Upper plate member 39 includes brackets 40, which may beintegrally formed with upper plate member 39 or, alternatively, weldedor otherwise coupled thereto.

As shown in FIG. 11, upper plate member 38 includes an opening, whichmay be configured to cooperate with a winch assembly (not shown). Lowerplate member 39 includes a plurality of accessory mounts, illustrativelyopenings 37, which may be configured to couple with accessories and/orcargo. Additionally, some of openings 37 are configured as tie-downs forreceiving a hook or other coupling device for coupling cargo to vehicle2. As such, frame assembly 20 integrally includes mounts for accessoriesand cargo. Referring to FIG. 12, lower and upper plate members 38, 39may support an accessory 110, such as a bumper, brush guard, or othersimilar member configured to protect front end 4 of vehicle 2 fromdamage. For example, accessory 110 may be coupled to lower plate member38 and brackets 40 of upper plate member 39 with coupling assemblies112.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, coupling assemblies 112 may be configuredas expansion members, such as expansion bolts, configured to extendthrough openings in bracket 40 and openings 37 in lower plate member 39in order to secure accessory 110 to front frame portion 22. Couplingassemblies 112 include a support member 122, a washer 124, a sleeve 116,and a bolt 118. Support member 122 is coupled to a frame member 114 ofaccessory 110. Washer 124 is positioned against the front surface ofsupport member 122. Bolt 118 is inserted through washer 124 and supportmember 122 until a flange 120 of bolt 118 contacts washer 124. Bolt 118is received within a cylindrical opening of sleeve 116.

In order to couple accessory 110 with front frame portion 22, sleeve 116extends through integral openings 37 in lower plate member 39 andbrackets 40 of upper plate member 38. A lip 126 of sleeve 116 engages aninner surface of lower plate member 38 and/or brackets 40. Bolt 118 isreceived within sleeve 116 such that sleeve 116 expands when bolt 118 istightened in order to secure accessory 110 to front frame portion 22. Assuch, frame assembly 20 integrally includes various mounting points foraccessories, such as accessory 110. Additionally, the configuration ofcoupling assemblies 112 is such that it is not necessary for accessory110 to be held in place at front end 4 of vehicle 2 while assemblingaccessory 110 on vehicle 2.

Referring again to FIGS. 9A-10, a forward powertrain support member 42is coupled to forward longitudinally-extending members 28 and ispositioned rearward of lower plate member 38. Forward powertrain supportmember 42 may be configured to support a portion of a powertrainassembly 250, for example front final drive unit 256 (FIG. 38).

Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 9A-10, forward longitudinally-extendingmembers 28 are coupled to first upstanding members 44 and secondupstanding member 45 at front frame portion 22. Illustratively, frontframe portion 22 includes two first upstanding members 44 and two secondupstanding members 45. First upstanding members 44 include generallyvertical portions 44 a, generally angled portions 44 b, and generallyrearward portions 44 c. Vertical portions 44 a are coupled to upperplate member 39 and lower plate member 38. Rearward portions 44 c offirst upstanding members 44 of front frame portion 22 are angledupwardly. In one embodiment, rearward portions 44 c are at an angle α ofapproximately 30-32 degrees from horizontal and are approximately 8-12inches above the top surface of the front tires along a line C, as shownin FIG. 9B. Illustratively, angle α is approximately 31.3 degrees andthe distance along line C is approximately 10.1 inches. As such, firstupstanding members 44 are sufficiently spaced apart from front wheels 8to provide sufficient space in the wheel well area for maximum turningradius. In other words, the geometry of front frame portion 22 does notinterfere with or limit the turning radius of front wheels 8. In oneembodiment, the front tires have a diameter of approximately 30 inchesand the configuration of front end 4 of vehicle 2 does not interferewith or limit the turning radius of front wheels 8.

First upstanding members 44 also support a generally U-shaped framemember 54 coupled to the upper ends thereof. More particularly, verticalportions 44 a of first upstanding members 44 are coupled to forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28 and rearward portions 44 c of firstupstanding members 44 are coupled to U-shaped frame member 54, such thatU-shaped frame member 54 is positioned above forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28. U-shaped frame member 54 includes across-member 56 and a support member 58.

Second upstanding members 45 support a brace 46 extending therebetween.Brace 46 is coupled to U-shaped frame member 54. Additionally, secondupstanding members 45 are coupled to braces 60, which are angledforwardly. The lower ends of braces 60 are coupled to forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28 and the upper ends of braces 60 arecoupled to second upstanding members 45.

Referring to FIGS. 9A-10, mid-frame portion 24 includes lowerlongitudinally-extending members 62 and upper longitudinally-extendingmembers 64. Lower longitudinally-extending members 62 are coupled toforward longitudinally-extending member 28 with frame members 66. Lowerlongitudinally-extending members 62 include front portions 62 a, whichare coupled to U-shaped frame member 54, horizontal portions 62 b, whichare coupled to frame members 66, and rear portions 62 c, which arecoupled to a cab frame assembly 150, as detailed further herein. Frontportions 62 a may be approximately 4-8 inches from the outer surface ofthe tire of front wheel 8 along a line D, as shown in FIG. 9B.Illustratively, the distance along line D is approximately 6.0 inches.Additionally, frame members 66 may be approximately 6-10 inches from theouter surface of the tire of front wheel 8 along a line E, as shown inFIG. 9B. Illustratively, the distance along line E is approximately 8.3inches. The distance from front wheel 8 to frame members 66 and frontportions 62 a provides sufficient space within the wheel well of frontwheels 8 such that the turning radius of front wheels 8 is notcompromised.

Illustratively, horizontal portions 62 b may be coupled to front andrear portions 62 a, 62 c with coupler assemblies 68. Alternatively,horizontal portions 62 b may be integrally formed with front and rearportions 62 a, 62 c, or may be coupled thereto with conventionalfasteners (e.g., welds, rivets, bolts, and/or adhesive). Lowerlongitudinally-extending members 62 may be coupled to upperlongitudinally-extending members 64 with brackets 65.

Upper longitudinally-extending members 64 include horizontal portions 64a and angled portions 64 b. Horizontal portions 64 a are coupled tofront portions 62 a of lower longitudinally-extending members 62.Additionally, horizontal portions 64 a may be coupled to U-shaped framemember 54 with frame members 70. Horizontal portions 64 a may beintegrally formed with angled portions 64 b, or alternatively, may beseparate therefrom and coupled thereto with conventional fasteners(e.g., welds, rivets, bolts, and/or adhesive). Angled portions 64 bextend rearwardly from horizontal portions 64 a and are coupled to rearportions 62 c of lower longitudinally-extending members 62.

Referring to FIG. 10, mid-frame portion 24 also includes a dashboardsupport member 72 coupled to cross-member 56 with an arm member 74 and asteering support member 76. Additionally, dashboard support member 72 iscoupled to front portions 62 a of lower longitudinally-extending members62 with members 78 and brackets 79. In one embodiment, dashboard supportmember 72 and members 78 may be comprised of a light-weight material. Inone embodiment, members 72, 78 are comprised of polymeric material, acarbon fiber material, and/or an aluminum material to lower the centerof gravity of vehicle 2.

Mid-frame portion 24 also includes a seat frame assembly 80. Seat frameassembly 80 includes a front cross-member 82 and a rear cross-member 84generally parallel to front cross-member 82. Seats 15 are configured tobe removably coupled to seat frame assembly 80.

Referring to FIGS. 9A-10, and 14-16, rear frame portion 26 includesupper rearward longitudinally-extending members 88 which have upperportions 88 a and lower portions 88 b. Illustratively, upper portions 88a and lower portions 88 b may be integrally formed with each other.Alternatively, upper portions 88 a and lower portions 88 b may beseparate from each other and coupled thereto with conventional fasteners(e.g., welds, rivets, bolts, and/or adhesive). Upper portions 88 a maybe coupled to rear portions 62 a of lower longitudinally-extendingmembers 62 and/or a rear cross-member 90. Additionally, braces 92 may becoupled to upper portions 88 a and rear cross-member 90. Rearcross-member 90 and braces 92 may be removably coupled to rear frameportion 26 with bolts in order to provide access to powertrain assembly250.

Rear frame portion 26 also includes lower rearwardlongitudinally-extending members 128, which are coupled to forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28. More particularly, as shown best inFIGS. 14-16, the outer diameter (od) of lower rearwardlongitudinally-extending members 128 is smaller than the inner diameter(id) of forward longitudinally-extending members 28. Illustratively, theouter diameter (od) of lower rearward longitudinally-extending members128 may be approximately 36-40 mm and the inner diameter (id) of forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28 may be approximately 38-42 mm. Inone embodiment, the outer diameter (od) of lower rearwardlongitudinally-extending members 128 may be approximately 38 mm and theinner diameter (id) of the forward longitudinally-extending members 28may be approximately 40 mm. As such, lower rearwardlongitudinally-extending members 128 are received within a portion offorward longitudinally-extending members 28. Conventional fasteners,such as welds, rivets, bolts, and/or adhesive may be used to securelower rearward longitudinally-extending members 128 within forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28. Illustratively, lower rearwardlongitudinally-extending members 128 are welded to forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28.

Rear frame portion 26 further includes a plurality of angled members 94,96, and 98. Angled members 94 may be coupled to rear portions 62 c oflower longitudinally-extending members 62 and forwardlongitudinally-extending members 28. Angled members 96 and 96 arecoupled to lower rearward longitudinally-extending members 128. Angledmembers 96 and 98 may be coupled to alignment arm brackets 100 for arear suspension assembly 300. A bracket 104 may be coupled to upperrearward longitudinally-extending members 88. A plate member 102 iscoupled to lower portions 88 b of upper rearwardlongitudinally-extending members 88 and is positioned rearward of angledmembers 94, 96, and 98. Further details about frame assembly 20 ofvehicle 2 may be disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 61/829,743, filed on May 31, 2013, the complete disclosure of whichis expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Referring to FIGS. 17-21, a cab frame assembly 150 is coupled to frameassembly 20 and includes front upstanding members 152, rear upstandingmembers 154, and longitudinal members 156 extending therebetween.Additionally, cab frame assembly 150 includes a front cross-member 158,a rear upper cross-member 160, and a rear lower cross-member 162. Frontcross-member 158 is coupled to an upper end of front upstanding members152 and/or longitudinal members 156. In one embodiment, front upstandingmembers 152 are integrally formed with longitudinal members 156. Thelower end of front upstanding members 152 may be coupled to frameassembly 20 with couplers 151. Couplers 151 may be bolted, adhered, orotherwise coupled to frame assembly 20 and/or front upstanding members152.

Rear upper cross-member 160 is coupled to an upper end of rearupstanding members 154 and/or longitudinal members 156. Rear lowercross-member 162 is also coupled to rear upstanding members 154. In oneembodiment, rear upstanding members 154 are integrally formed with rearupper cross-member 160. The lower end of rear upstanding members 154 maybe coupled to frame assembly 20 with couplers 151, which may be bolted,adhered, or otherwise coupled to frame assembly 20 and/or rearupstanding members 154.

As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, front cross-member 158 may be coupled tofront upstanding members 152 and/or longitudinal members 156 with acoupler assembly 130. Similarly, longitudinal members 156 are coupled torear upper cross-member 160 and rear upstanding members 154 with couplerassemblies 130. Additionally, rear lower cross-member 162 is coupled torear upstanding members 154 with coupler assemblies 130. Couplerassemblies 130 include an outer bracket 132, an inner bracket 134, and afastener 136. More particularly, front upstanding members 152 andlongitudinal members 156 are received within opposing ends of outer andinner brackets 132, 134 and may be coupled thereto with conventionalfasteners (e.g., adhesive). Front cross-member 158 is received within aninner end of inner bracket 134 and may be coupled thereto with adhesiveor other conventional fasteners. As such, front upstanding members 152,longitudinal members 156, and front cross-member 158 are bought togetherin a T-configuration by coupler assemblies 130. Fastener 136 is receivedwithin an opening of outer bracket 132 and extends into an inner channel166 of front cross-member 158 in order to couple together frontupstanding members 152, longitudinal members 156, and front cross-member158. Fastener 136 may be threadedly coupled or otherwise secured withininner channel 166. In a similar way, upper rear cross-member 160 iscoupled to rear upstanding members 154 and longitudinal members 156.Additionally, lower rear cross-member 162 is coupled to rear upstandingmembers 154 with coupler assemblies 130.

Cab frame assembly 150 may be at least partially comprised of a metallicmaterial. For example, illustrative cab frame assembly 150 is comprisedof a material that weighs less, or has a lower density, than thematerial of frame assembly 20. Illustrative cab frame assembly 150 maybe comprised of aluminum, whereas illustrative frame assembly 20 may beat least partially comprised of steel. More particularly, at least someof front upstanding members 152, rear upstanding members 154,longitudinal members 156, front cross-member 158, rear uppercross-member 160, and rear lower cross-member 162 are comprised ofaluminum. Alternative embodiments of cab frame assembly 150 may becomprised of other light-weight materials, such as polymeric materialsand/or carbon fiber materials. By using aluminum, polymeric materials,and/or carbon fiber materials, cab frame assembly 150 may belight-weight and decrease the overall weight of vehicle 2. As such, thecenter of gravity of vehicle 2 may be lowered. For example, when cabframe assembly 150 is comprised of aluminum, the weight of cab frameassembly 150 may be reduced by approximately 40% compared to a cab frameassembly 150 comprised of steel. Alternatively, members 152, 154, 156,158, 160, and/or 162 of cab frame assembly 150 may be comprised of16-gauge tubes, rather than 14-gauge tubes, and the decreased size ofmembers 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, and/or 162 may decrease the weight ofcab frame assembly 150 and, therefore, lower the center of gravity ofvehicle 2.

When cab frame assembly 150 is comprised of aluminum, the bendingstiffness or strength of at least some of front upstanding members 152,rear upstanding members 154, longitudinal members 156, frontcross-member 158, rear upper cross-member 160, and rear lowercross-member 162 may be increased by including at least one structuralreinforcement member. Illustratively, the at least one structuralreinforcement member defines a plurality of internal ribs 164 and innerchannel 166. Internal ribs 164 and inner channel 166 may be extrudedwith members 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, and 162. As shown if FIG. 20,front upstanding members 152, rear upstanding members 154, longitudinalmembers 156, front cross-member 158, rear upper cross-member 160, and/orrear lower cross-member 162 may include at least four internal ribs 164.Internal ribs 164 extend inwardly from the inner surface of frontupstanding members 152, rear upstanding members 154, longitudinalmembers 156, front cross-member 158, rear upper cross-member 160, and/orrear lower cross-member 162 and engage with inner channel 166. Byincluding at least four internal ribs 164, the bending stiffness of eachmember 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, and/or 162 is increased in twodirections—both direction B₁ and direction B₂. As shown in FIGS. 19 and20, inner channel 166 extends along the length of front upstandingmembers 152, rear upstanding members 154, longitudinal members 156,front cross-member 158, rear upper cross-member 160, and/or rear lowercross-member 162 and is generally hollow in order to receive fastener136 of coupler assemblies 130. Additionally, electrical wires may berouted through inner channel 166 and/or the channels defined betweeninternal ribs 164 in order to conceal and protect the wires.

At least some of front upstanding members 152, rear upstanding members154, longitudinal members 156, front cross-member 158, rear uppercross-member 160, and rear lower cross-member 162 may be extruded andprofiled. For example, front upstanding members 152, rear upstandingmembers 154, longitudinal members 156, front cross-member 158, rearupper cross-member 160, and/or rear lower cross-member 162 may beextruded with a generally hour-glass or FIG. 8 profile to allowaccessories, such as doors 222 (FIG. 35), a roof (not shown), a frontwindshield (not shown), and/or a rear windshield (not shown) to becoupled to cab frame assembly 150. Additional details about the profileof cab frame assembly 150 may be disclosed in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/429,589, filed on Jun. 8, 2012, the complete disclosure ofwhich is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Additionally, cab frame assembly 150 also includes a retainer or bolsterbar 140, which may be coupled to rear upstanding members 154. Moreparticularly, rear upstanding members 154 may include tabs 142 forcoupling with bolster bars 140. A fastener 144 may be received withinopenings of bolster bars 140 and corresponding openings in tabs 142 inorder to couple bolster bars 140 to rear upstanding members 154. Bolsterbar 140 includes tabs 141, which are configured to support a door 222(FIG. 35), as detailed further herein. Illustrative bolster bars 140 maybe comprised of a light-weight or low-density metallic material,polymeric material, and/or carbon fiber material. For example, bolsterbar 140 may be comprised of aluminum. With the use of aluminum or otherlight-weight materials, the center of gravity of vehicle 2 may belowered.

Referring to FIG. 22, frame assembly 20 may be coupled to a body ofvehicle 2. For example, the body of vehicle 2 may include a hood 220 atfront end 4, as well as dashboard assembly 200 and floorboard assembly210 with operator area 14 (FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 22, theforward-most portion of vehicle 2 is defined by upstanding members 44along line F. However, the forward-most portion of front wheels 8 areforward of the line F. As such, if vehicle 2 contacts an obstacle (e.g.,rock or tree) at a position along line O, only front wheels 8 willcontact the obstacle. The remainder of vehicle 2 is rearward of line Oand, therefore, does not contact the obstacle. In this way, the approachangle at front frame portion 22 of frame assembly 20 minimizes damage tovehicle 2 by ensuring that front wheels 8 will contact an obstaclebefore any other portion of vehicle 2. For example, angle α of firstupstanding members 44 defines the approach angle, which allows frontwheels 8 to be configured to contact an obstacle at line O before theremainder of vehicle 2 reaches the obstacle. Further details about thebody of vehicle 2 may be disclosed in U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/829,743, filed on May 31, 2013, the completedisclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, a cooling system 230 is positioned atfront end 4 of vehicle 2 and, therefore, the approach angle of frameassembly 20 also protects cooling system 230 from damage if front end 4vehicle 2 contacts an obstacle. Cooling system 230 includes a maingrille 232, at least one heat exchanger 234, and secondary grilles 236,238. Main grille 232 is positioned forward of heat exchanger 234 andabove secondary grilles 236, 238. Main grille 232 is removably coupledto the body of vehicle 2, for example hood 220, with tabs 233 and 235.As shown in FIG. 24, tabs 233 are positioned along the top edge of maingrille 232 and tabs 235 are positioned along the bottom edge of maingrille 232. Tabs 233 are configured to compress when main grille 232 isassembled at front end 4 of vehicle 2; however, tabs 233 are biased toan expanded position in order to secure main grille 232 against hood 220and other components at front end 4 of vehicle 2.

Main grille 232 includes a plurality of louvers 237 to allow air to flowtherethrough in order to provide cooling air to heat exchanger 234. Inone embodiment, louvers 237 may be angled in order to deflect dirt, mud,and other debris away from heat exchanger 234. Additionally, the angledconfiguration of louvers 237 may be such that the flow of airtherethrough is laminar. Also, by keeping main grille 232 clean and freeof dirt and mud, air flow through louvers 237 is more efficient.Additionally, a removable deflector 239 may be coupled to heat exchanger234 in order to further deflect dirt, mud, and debris away from heatexchanger 234. Illustratively, deflector 239 may extend around theperimeter of heat exchanger 234.

Referring to FIG. 25, the body of vehicle 2 also includes a plurality ofpanels within operator area 14. For example, an access panel 240 may beincluded within operator area 14, which is positioned between seats 15,as shown in FIG. 5. In this way, access panel 240 may be positionedgenerally rearward of seats 15 and encloses an engine compartment forpowertrain assembly 250 from operator area 14. More particularly, anengine 252 of powertrain assembly 250 may be positioned rearward ofaccess panel 240. As such, access panel 240 prevents the operator orpassenger from accidentally contacting components of powertrain assembly250 within the engine compartment and also prevents transfer of noise,heat, fluids, dirt, and/or debris from the engine compartment intooperator area 14. Access panel 240 is removably coupled to the body,which also provides access to the engine compartment for repairing,changing, and/or monitoring components of engine 252 or other portionsof powertrain assembly 250. For example, engine 252 may be oriented suchthat the oil dipstick and/or engine filter is adjacent access panel 240.In this way, the operator is able to monitor or change the oil leveland/or filter of engine 252 without removing seats 15.

As shown in FIG. 26, operator area 14 includes seats 15, which includeseat bottoms 16 and seat backs 18. The rearward surface of seat backs 18may include a recessed portion 244 rearward of a head rest 246 of seats15. By including recessed portion 244 on seats 15, the weight of seats15 may be reduced. For example, the weight of seats 15 may be reduced byapproximately 15%. As such, the overall weight of vehicle 2 may bereduced, which may lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2.

Referring to FIG. 27, operator area 14 also includes dashboard assembly200 positioned generally forward of seats 15 and generally abovefloorboard assembly 210 (FIG. 2). Dashboard assembly 200 includes anupper dashboard member 202, which may include at least one opening for amulti-functional display screen or gauge 204. Illustratively, screen 204may be configured with to output information about navigation, radio,cellular telephones, and/or data about vehicle 2. For example, displayscreen 204 may be configured to output GPS coordinates, informationabout the terrain, and data received from sensors about the fuel levels,output of powertrain assembly 250, and other similar data from vehicle2. Additionally, upper dashboard member 202 may support integratedaccessories 206, such as integrated speakers and/or heating and coolingvents.

Additionally, upper dashboard member 202 may support a passenger grabbar 208 (FIG. 2). The passenger may hold on to grab bar 208 duringoperation of vehicle 2 to stabilize himself or herself in seat 15. Grabbar 208 may be comprised of a metallic material generally surrounded bya polymeric cover. In one embodiment, grab bar 208 may be at leastpartially comprised of aluminum. As such, grab bar 208 may weigh lessand/or have a lower density than a grab bar comprised of othermaterials, for example steel and, and therefore, may lower the center ofgravity of vehicle 2.

As shown in FIGS. 28-28C, vehicle 2 includes front suspension assembly170 and rear suspension assembly 300. In one embodiment, rear suspensionassembly 300 is configured for approximately 8-12 inches of travel.Illustratively, rear suspension assembly 300 is configured forapproximately 10 inches of travel. Rear suspension assembly 300 ispositioned generally rearward of engine 252 at rear end 6 of utilityvehicle 2. Referring to FIGS. 28-28C, rear suspension assembly 300 maybe configured as a dual alignment arm-type suspension assembly andincludes upper alignment arms 302, lower alignment arms 304, shockabsorbers 306, and a torsion bar 308. An inner end of upper and loweralignment arms 302, 304 are coupled to alignment arms brackets 100 ofrear frame portion 26, and an outer end of upper and lower alignmentarms 302, 304 are coupled to hub assemblies 310 of rear wheels 10.

A lower end of shock absorber 306 is coupled to lower alignment arm 304,and an upper end of shock absorber 306 is coupled to brackets 104 onupper rearward longitudinally-extending members 88. In one embodiment,brackets 104 are approximately 15-20 inches above skid plate 86, andillustratively, are approximately 17.8 inches above skid plate 86.

Shock absorbers 306 may be self-leveling or load-leveling shocks, forexample Nivomat® shocks available from ZF Sachs AG Corporation ofGermany. In one embodiment, shocks 306 include an incompressible fluid,such as oil, and a coil-over spring. When cargo and passengers aresupported within vehicle 2, the ground clearance of vehicle 2 (i.e., thedistance between the bottom of frame assembly 20 and the ground surface)may be affected such that the ground clearance is reduced and vehicle 2sits lower to the ground. As such, the bottom surface of vehicle 2 mayscrape against the ground, obstacles, or other objects, duringoperation. However, shocks 306 are configured to selectively orautomatically adjust the ride height of vehicle 2 to accommodate a loadon vehicle 2 in order to maintain a consistent ground clearance. Inother words, shocks 306 are configured to maintain the same groundclearance when vehicle 2 supports cargo and passengers as when vehicle 2does not include any passengers or cargo. Additional details aboutshocks 306 may be disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,602, issued on Dec.20, 2011, the complete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated byreference herein.

In one embodiment, shocks 306 are configured to automatically adjust theride height in response to a load on vehicle 2 in order to maintain apredetermined ground clearance. In another embodiment, the operator maybe able to selectively adjust the ride height, either by manuallyadjusting a portion of shocks 306 or by activating an operator inputfrom operator area 14. For example, if the terrain suddenly changes andincludes large obstacles, the operator may selectively adjust shocks 306to increase the ground clearance to accommodate the terrain.

Also, in a further embodiment, shocks 306 may be configured forcontinuous damping control, as detailed further in U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/723,623, filed on Nov. 7, 2012, thecomplete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by referenceherein.

Torsion bar 308 of rear suspension assembly 300 extends generally in aU-shape and is generally positioned along the inner sides of shockabsorbers 306. Torsion bar 308 is coupled to upper alignment arms 302through rods 309, as shown in FIG. 28B. Illustratively, an upper end ofrod 308 is coupled to a front surface of upper alignment arms 302 and alower end of rod 308 extends below upper alignment arm 302 in order tocouple with torsion bar 308. Torsion bar 308 is positioned verticallyintermediate upper and lower alignment arms 302, 304. As shown in FIG.28C, forwardly-extending portions 308 a of torsion bar 308 may bepositioned below upper alignment arms 302 and half shafts 311 of rearfinal drive unit 258 (FIG. 38). More particularly, as shown in FIG. 28B,forwardly-extending portions 308 a of torsion bar 308 may be bent andangled downwardly relative to a center portion 308 b of torsion bar 308in order to extend below half shafts 311 and couple with the lower endsof rods 309. In one embodiment, center portion 308 b of torsion bar 308may be approximately 4-7 inches above skid plate 86, and illustrativelyis approximately 5.9 inches above skid plate 86. As such, torsion bar308 occupies a lower position on vehicle 2, which may lower the centerof gravity of vehicle 2. Torsion bar 308 includes isolators 312. Torsionbar 308 is positioned below an exhaust assembly 280 of powertrainassembly 250 and isolators 312 may be configured to couple with frameassembly 20 and contact exhaust assembly 280, as shown in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIGS. 29-31, front suspension assembly 170 is configured asa dual alignment arm-type suspension and includes upper alignment arms172, lower alignment arms 174, shock absorbers 176, and a torsion bar178. In one embodiment, front suspension assembly 170 is configured forapproximately 8-12 inches of travel. Illustrative front suspensionassembly 170 is configured for approximately 10 inches of travel. Aninner end of lower alignment arms 174 is coupled to alignment armbrackets 36 and an outer end of lower alignment arms 174 is coupled to ahub assembly 180 of front wheels 8. Illustrative lower alignment arms174 include a rearward arm 174 a and a forward arm 174 b which areangled toward each other in order to couple with hub assembly 180.Additionally, forward arm 174 b includes a bend 175 to further positionthe outer end of forward arm 174 b inward. By bending and anglingforward arm 174 b inward, forward arm 174 b does not contact an obstaclebefore front wheels 8.

Upper alignment arms 172 include a rearward arm 172 a and a forward arm172 b. As with forward arm 174 b, forward arm 172 b is angled inwardlytoward rearward arm 172 a and, as such, does not contact an obstaclebefore front wheels 8. An inner end of upper alignment arms 172 iscoupled to upper plate member 39 and brackets at front frame portion 22.An outer end of upper alignment arms 172 is coupled to hub assembly 180of front wheels 8. More particularly, upper and lower alignment arms172, 174 are coupled to hub assemblies 180 via a knuckle 181. Knuckle181 has a steering axis of rotation, also called a king pin axis, 182.As shown in FIG. 29B, steering axis of rotation or king pin axis 182 isangled rearwardly relative to a vertical axis V. Illustratively,steering axis of rotation 182 is at a rearward angle β of approximately5-10 degrees, and more particularly, 7.5 degrees, from vertical axis V.Additionally, as shown in FIG. 29C, front wheels 8 are angled inwardlysuch that knuckle 181 is angled inwardly relative to vertical axis V.Illustratively, knuckle 181 is angled inwardly at an angle θ ofapproximately 2-8 degrees, and more particularly, 5.0 degrees, fromvertical axis V.

Rearward arm 172 a of upper alignment arms 172 may bend upwardly inorder to accommodate steering arms 192 of a power steering assembly 190and/or the half shafts of front final drive unit 256. More particularly,steering arms 192 are positioned intermediate upper alignment arms 172and lower alignment arms 174. Additionally, steering arms 192 arecoupled to hub assemblies 180 at a joint 184, which is rearward ofknuckle 181. As shown in FIGS. 29A-C and 31, joint 184 of steering arms192 is rearward of steering axis of rotation 182.

As shown in FIG. 31B, alternative steering arms 192′ may be includedwith power steering assembly 190. For example, steering arms 192′ mayinclude a cast component 193 for coupling steering arms 192′ to joint184. Illustratively, cast component 193 may be comprised of aluminum.When power steering assembly 190 includes steering arms 192′ with castcomponent 193, the weight of steering arms 192′ may be reduced byapproximately 40% compared to steering arms 192, which may includesteel. As such, the center of gravity of vehicle 2 may be lowered byincluding steering arms 192′ on vehicle 2.

Referring to FIGS. 28-31, the upper end of shock absorbers 176 iscoupled to brace 46 at front frame portion 22. In one embodiment, brace46 and the upper end of shock absorbers 176 may be approximately 18-23inches above skid plate 86, and illustratively, is 21.6 inches aboveskid plate 86. The lower end of shock absorbers 176 are coupled to upperalignment arms 172 through a bracket 177. Additionally, referring toFIG. 29C, bracket 177 and the lower end of shock absorbers 176 may beapproximately 2-6 inches from the steering axis of rotation 182 alongline M, and illustratively, is approximately 4 inches from the steeringaxis of rotation 182. Bracket 177 is also coupled to rods 186, whichextend generally vertically and also couple with torsion bar 178.Illustratively, shock absorbers 176 are operably coupled to torsion bar178 with rods 186. As such, movement may be transmitted between torsionbar 178 and shock absorbers 176.

Shock absorbers 176 may be self-leveling or load-leveling shocks, forexample Nivomat® shocks available from ZF Sachs AG Corporation ofGermany. In one embodiment, shocks 176 include an incompressible fluid,such as oil, and a coil-over spring. When cargo and passengers aresupported within vehicle 2, the ground clearance of vehicle 2 may beaffected such that the ground clearance is reduced and vehicle 2 sitslower to the ground. As such, the bottom surface of vehicle 2 may scrapeagainst the ground, obstacles, or other objects, during operation.However, shocks 176 are configured to selectively or automaticallyadjust the ride height of vehicle 2 to accommodate a load on vehicle 2in order to maintain a consistent ground clearance. In other words,shocks 176 are configured to maintain the same ground clearance whenvehicle 2 supports cargo and passengers as when vehicle 2 does notinclude any passengers or cargo.

In one embodiment, shocks 176 are configured to automatically adjust theride height in response to a load on vehicle 2 in order to maintain apredetermined ground clearance. In another embodiment, the operator maybe able to selectively adjust the ride height, either by manuallyadjusting a portion of shocks 176 or by activating an operator inputfrom operator area 14. For example, if the terrain suddenly changes andincludes large obstacles, the operator may selectively adjust shocks 176to increase the ground clearance to accommodate the terrain.

In this way, because both shocks 176 of front suspension assembly 170and shocks 306 of rear suspension assembly 300 include load-levelingshocks, vehicle 2 includes load-leveling shocks on all four cornersthereof. Additionally, because shocks 176 and/or 306 are configured toadjust the ride height or ground clearance of vehicle 2, shocks 176and/or shocks 306 are able to affect the center of gravity of vehicle 2.In one embodiment, the ride height of vehicle 2 may be lowered byapproximately 1 inch in order to lower the center of gravity of vehicle2.

Also, in a further embodiment, shocks 176 may be configured forcontinuous damping control, as detailed further in U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/723,623, filed on Nov. 7, 2012, and U.S.Pat. No. 8,079,602, issued on Dec. 20, 2011, the complete disclosures ofwhich are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Torsion bar 178 is supported on frame assembly 20 with a bracket 188.More particularly, bracket 188 is coupled to second upstanding members45 of front frame portion 22. Torsion bar 178 is positioned verticallyintermediate upper alignment arm 172 and lower alignment arm 174. In oneembodiment, a center portion 178 a of torsion bar 178 (FIG. 30) isapproximately 3-7 inches above skid plate 86, and illustratively, isapproximately 4.9 inches above skid plate 86. Illustratively, torsionbar 178 extends rearwardly around a rear surface of a steering rack 194of power steering assembly 190. Additionally, torsion bar 178 ispositioned directly rearward of front final drive unit 256 such thatsteering rack 194 is positioned intermediate torsion bar 178 and frontfinal drive unit 256. Illustratively, torsion bar 178 may beapproximately 8-12 inches, and more particularly, 9.2 inches, rearwardof front final drive unit 256 along a line F, as shown in FIG. 9B.

As with joint 184, steering rack 194 also is positioned rearward ofsteering axis of rotation 182 of knuckle 181. Additionally, steeringrack 194 is positioned vertically intermediate upper alignment arm 172and lower alignment arm 174, and is positioned longitudinallyintermediate lower alignment arm brackets 36, as shown best in FIG. 31.In one embodiment, the center of steering rack 194 is positionedapproximately 4-8 inches above skid plate 86, and illustratively, isapproximately 5.6 inches above skid plate 86. By positioning steeringrack 194 and torsion bar 178 intermediate upper and lower alignment arms172 and 174, steering rack 194 and torsion bar 178 are at a low positionon vehicle 2, which may lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2.Additional components of power steering assembly 190, for example anelectric power steering unit (not shown), also may be positionedadjacent upper and lower alignment arms 172, 174 of front suspensionassembly 170 to further lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2. In oneembodiment, the electric power steering unit may be adjacent orincorporated into a top portion of steering rack 194 in order to lowerthe center of gravity of vehicle 2.

As shown in FIG. 29C, steering arms 192 are angled downwardly fromsteering rack 194 in order to couple with hub assemblies 180 at joint184. In one embodiment, steering arms 192 may be at an angle Ω ofapproximately 6-10 degrees, and more particularly 8.6 degrees, fromhorizontal. By angling steering arms 192 downwardly, the suspensiontravel of front suspension assembly 170 may be increased withoutcompromising the turning radius of front wheels 8. Additionally, halfshafts 257 are operably coupled to hub assemblies 180 and front finaldrive unit 256 and also may be angled downwardly from front final driveunit 256 in order to couple with hub assemblies 180. For example, in oneembodiment, half shafts 257 may be at an angle Ψ of approximately 5-8degrees, and more particularly 6.9 degrees, from horizontal. By anglingthe half shafts downwardly, the suspension travel also may be increasedwithout compromising the steering angle or turning radius for frontwheels 8.

Additional details of front suspension assembly 170 may be disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 8,302,711, filed on Dec. 8, 2011, and issued on Nov. 6,2012, the complete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated byreference herein.

Referring to FIG. 32, an air intake assembly 260 of vehicle 2 is shown.Air intake assembly 260 includes a filter housing 262 for supporting afilter (not shown) therein, a lid 264 removably coupled to filterhousing 262, an intake tube 266, an outlet tube 268, a breather inlettube 272, and a resonator tube, illustratively a quarter-wave tube 274.In one embodiment, the position of filter housing 262 may be adjusted tolower the center of gravity of vehicle 2. As shown, intake tube 266pulls air from the right or passenger side of vehicle 2 and the airflows into filter housing 262 in order to flow through the filtertherein. The filter removes particles, dust, dirt, and/or other debrisfrom the air. Once cleaned, the air flows out of filter housing 262 andinto outlet tube 268. Outlet tube 268 directs air toward engine 252 ofpowertrain assembly. More particularly, a port 270 of outlet tube 268 isfluidly coupled to the throttle bodies of engine. Additionally, asmaller portion of air in outlet tube 268 may flow through breatherinlet tube 272, which directs air to the breather of engine 252.

Quarter-wave tube 274 is also fluidly coupled to outlet tube 268 inorder to decrease the noise of air intake assembly 260. Moreparticularly, air intake assembly 260 is positioned rearward of seats 15and, therefore, noise from air intake assembly 260 may be heard withinoperator area 14. However, by providing a resonator, such asquarter-wave tube 274, the noise from air intake assembly 260 may bereduced. As shown in FIG. 32, quarter-wave tube 274 is positioned on the“clean” side of filter housing 262 (i.e., is fluidly coupled to outlettube 268). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 32A, an alternativeembodiment quarter-wave tube 274′ may be positioned on the “dirty” sideof filter housing 262 such that quarter-wave tube 274′ may be fluidlycoupled to an intake tube 266′.

An alternative embodiment of air intake assembly 260 is shown as airintake assembly 260′ in FIGS. 32A-32E. Air intake assembly 260′ includesfilter housing 262, intake tube 266′, an outlet tube 268′, breatherinlet tube 272, and quarter-wave tube 274′. The configuration andoperation of illustrative air intake assembly 260′ is described herein.It should be understood that the configuration and operation of airintake assembly 260 may be the same as that for air intake assembly260′. As shown in FIG. 32A, air intake assembly 260′ is positionedwithin a forward portion of cargo box 12. More particularly, air intakeassembly 260′ is positioned between side walls 12 a and 12 b of cargobox 12, such that intake tube 266′ is positioned adjacent or generallyin proximity to side wall 12 a, and outlet tube 268′ is adjacent orgenerally in proximity to side wall 12 b. Additionally, air intakeassembly 260′ is positioned forward of removable panel 13 (FIG. 5). Acover 450 of cargo box 12 is positioned generally around air intakeassembly 260′, as shown in FIGS. 32C and 32E. Illustratively, air intakeassembly 260′ is positioned with a chamber 452 defined by cover 450 anda top surface 458 of cargo box 12.

As shown in FIGS. 32C and 32D, intake tube 266′ is spaced apart fromside wall 12 a of cargo box. As such, intake tube 266′ also is spacedapart from engine intake port 502. In this way, intake tube 266′ is notin direct contact with side wall 12 a of cargo box 12 or engine intakeport 502. With intake tube 266′ spaced apart from side wall 12 a, intaketube 266′ can pull air into filter housing 262 from multiple locations.For example, as shown in FIGS. 32C-32E, air may flow in the direction ofarrow 456 in order to flow into intake tube 266′ through engine intakeport 502. Additionally, air may flow in the direction of arrow 454 inorder to flow into intake tube 266′ through chamber 452. As such, ifengine intake port 502 becomes clogged with dirt, debris, snow, mud, oris otherwise blocked, air can continue to flow into air intake assembly260′ through chamber 452. In one embodiment, a primary air volume forair intake assembly 260′ is defined by the volume of air flowing indirection 456, and a secondary air volume for air intake assembly 260′is defined by the volume of air flowing in direction 454. In otherembodiments, the balance of air flowing into intake tube 266′ throughengine intake port 502 and chamber 452 may be balanced, regulated, orotherwise. In a further embodiment, air may be pulled into variableclutch assembly 254 (FIG. 38) in the same manner described herein forengine 252.

As shown in FIG. 33, exhaust assembly 280 of powertrain assembly 250includes an inlet body 282, an inlet tube 284, an outlet tube ortailpipe 288, and an exhaust body or muffler 286. In one embodiment,inlet tube 284 may be configured with multiple tube portions, which arecoupled together with a coupler 285. Exhaust body 286 may include aplurality of baffle plates 290 and a filter tube 292. Exhaust assembly280 is supported by rear frame portion 26 at rear end 6 of vehicle 2. Asshown in FIG. 8, exhaust body 286 may be further supported on isolators312 of rear suspension assembly 300.

The outer surface of exhaust assembly 280 may be wrapped or otherwisesurrounded by an insulation material, for example a fiberglassinsulation wrap available from The 3M Company. In assembly, the wrap maybe wound around exhaust assembly 280, heated, and then allowed to coolsuch that the wrap ultimately forms a hard cast-type material aroundexhaust assembly 280. In one embodiment, at least exhaust body 286 maybe perforated such that when the insulation wrap is applied thereto andheated, the insulation may expand and a portion of the insulation willpenetrate the perforations and generally extend into the interior ofexhaust body 286. Alternative embodiments of insulation material alsomay be used. By using the insulation wrap, rather than a rigid shield,the thickness of the wrap and, therefore, the insulation provided toexhaust assembly 280, may be customized and adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 33A, an alternative embodiment exhaust assembly 280′includes inlet body 282, inlet tube 284, outlet tube or tailpipe 288,and exhaust body 286. Additionally, exhaust assembly 280′ includes aheat shield 281, rather than a fiberglass insulation wrap or otherinsulating material or object, to insulate exhaust body 286.Illustratively, heat shield 281 is coupled to exhaust body 286 withconventional fasteners, for example bolts, screws, welds, rivets, and/oradhesive.

In operation, exhaust from engine 252 flows through ports 298 and intoinlet body 282. The exhaust in inlet body 282 flows into inlet tube 284,into exhaust body 286 through an inlet port 294, and exits vehicle 2through port 296 of outlet tube 288.

The internal geometry of exhaust body 286 may affect the sound emanatingfrom exhaust assembly 280. More particularly, the internal geometry ofexhaust body 286 may be configured to reduce or eliminate the effects ofacoustical standing waves therein. It is known that mufflers may includeparallel baffle walls to define an expansion chamber volume within themuffler. The baffle plates are typically oriented in a generallyvertical configuration such that the baffle plates may be generallyperpendicular to the flow of air and sound within the muffler. As such,the muffler may include a plurality of parallel surfaces. However, assound reflects off of these parallel surfaces within the muffler, it cancreate standing waves in the expansion chamber, which may createfrequencies at which the muffler is less effective.

In order to reduce or eliminate the amplification effects due toreflections, baffle plates 290 within exhaust body 286 are angled andoriented in a diagonal configuration therein. Additionally, bypositioning filter tube 292 between baffle plates 290, amplificationeffects due to the reflections may be further reduced or eliminatedaltogether.

In operation, as sound enters exhaust body 286 through inlet port 294,the sound may reflect off of diagonal baffle plates 290. As such, thesound is reflected at an angle away from inlet port 294 and bouncesaround a first chamber A, which is defined by a first baffle plate 290A,a first wall 295A of exhaust body 286, and the corresponding innersurface of exhaust body 286. Illustratively, first chamber A isgenerally triangularly shaped. By reflecting the sound in an angledmanner about triangularly-shaped chamber A, the sound does not reinforceon itself because the sound does not bounce off of parallel walls. Thesound is then transferred through filter tube 292 and a filter thereindampens the sound before the sound exits into a second chamber B.Despite the generally parallel configuration of baffle plates 290, thesound flowing between baffle plates 290 is negligible because filtertube 292 dampens the sound. Furthermore, an alternative embodiment ofbaffle plates 290 may include curved surfaces such that the surfaces ofbaffle plates 290 are not parallel to each other.

Second chamber B is similar to first chamber A in that second chamber Balso is generally triangularly shaped and is defined by a second wall295B of exhaust body 286, a second baffle plate 290B, and thecorresponding inner surface of exhaust body 286. By reflecting the soundin an angled manner about triangularly-shaped chamber B, the sound doesnot reinforce on itself because the sound does not bounce off ofparallel walls. As such, the sound exiting exhaust body 286 through port296 and outlet tube 288 is not reinforced, but rather, is reduced orgenerally eliminated.

Referring to FIG. 34, an alternative embodiment of exhaust assembly 280is shown as exhaust assembly 280′, with like reference numeralsindicating like parts having like structure and functionality. Exhaustassembly 280′ may be configured as an active exhaust assembly andincludes a first exhaust body 297, a second exhaust body 286′, an inlettube 284′, an outlet tube or tailpipe 288′, an first tube 291, a secondtube 293, and a valve assembly 299. Exhaust assembly 280′ is configuredto operate in a high-flow mode and a low-flow mode. In the high-flowmode, a substantial amount or all of the exhaust flowing from engine 252flows through exhaust assembly 280′ along an unrestricted path and exitsfrom outlet tube 288′. As a result of the unrestricted flow path, littlebackpressure builds within exhaust assembly 280′ and a loud soundemanates from exhaust assembly 280′ such that vehicle 2 operates in ahigh-performance, sport mode. Conversely, when vehicle 2 is in thelow-flow mode, the exhaust from engine 252 is reduced when flowingthrough exhaust assembly 280′. Additionally, the exhaust may flowthrough a restricted path. As a result, the backpressure increaseswithin exhaust assembly 280′ and a quieter sound emanates from exhaustassembly 280 such that vehicle 2 operates in a restrained and muted orquiet mode.

Exhaust assembly 280′ may be configured to toggle only between thehigh-flow mode and the low-flow mode. Alternatively, exhaust assembly280′ may be configured for an infinite number of flow options betweenthe two modes. For example, the operator may be able to switch betweenthe high-flow mode and the low-flow mode with a mechanical valve system,which may include a lever and a pulley to regulate the flow of exhaustthrough exhaust assembly 280′. Additionally, the operator may switchbetween the high-flow mode and the low-flow mode with an electricalsystem, which may include an electrical switch to toggle between thehigh-flow mode and the low-flow mode. Alternatively, the electricalsystem may include a solenoid-operated butterfly valve, which may beconfigured to open and close in an infinite number of positions toregulate the flow of exhaust through exhaust assembly 280. Furtherstill, exhaust assembly 280′ may include an electrical valve operablycoupled to the engine control unit (“ECU”) of vehicle 2 in order toregulate the flow of exhaust based on the throttle position.

In one embodiment, exhaust assembly 280′ operates by coupling abutterfly valve 299 a and a solenoid 299 b of valve assembly 299 tofirst tube 291. First tube 291 is fluidly coupled to outlet tube 288′and provides an unrestricted flow path for the exhaust between inlettube 284′ and outlet tube 188′. Second tube 293 is positioned belowfirst tube 291 and is fluidly coupled to first exhaust body 297 andsecond exhaust body 286′. The flow of exhaust through second tube 293and second exhaust body 286′ may be restricted. For example, a pluralityof baffle plates/walls or a series of cross-over tubes may be positionedwithin second exhaust body 286′ in order to restrict the flow of exhausttherethrough.

In operation, when the operator desires to operate vehicle 2 in thehigh-flow, loud, sport mode, for example when the operator drivesvehicle 2 in sparsely-populated areas or at open throttle, solenoid 299b will receive a signal to open valve 299 a to allow a substantialportion or all of the exhaust entering first exhaust body 297 from inlettube 284′ to flow into first tube 291 and into outlet tube 288′ throughan unrestricted path. As such, the exhaust bypasses the restricted flowpath through second tube 293 and, therefore, little backpressure buildswithin exhaust assembly 280′. As a result, a loud and sportier sound isproduced. The high-flow mode may correspond to an open throttle positionsuch that the high-flow mode may be engaged when vehicle 2 isaccelerating, operating at high speeds, and/or in a sport orhigh-performance drive mode. Exhaust assembly 280′ may be configured toallow the operator to selectively engage the high-flow mode when it isdesirable to operate vehicle 2 in the sport drive mode. Alternatively,the ECU may automatically operate exhaust assembly 280′ in the high-flowmode when vehicle 2 is in the high-performance, sport drive mode or atopen throttle.

Conversely, when the operator desires to operate vehicle 2 in thelow-flow, quiet, restrained mode, for example when the operator drivesvehicle 2 in cruise control or in a densely-populated area, such as aneighborhood, solenoid 299 b will receive a signal to at least partiallyclose valve 299 a to restrict the amount of exhaust entering firstexhaust body 297 from inlet tube 284′ to flow into first tube 291 andoutlet tube 288′. Rather, a substantial portion or all of the exhaustentering first exhaust body 297 from inlet tube 284′ is diverted tosecond tube 293, where the exhaust flows into second tube 293 andthrough a restricted flow path in second exhaust body 286′. As such,backpressure builds within exhaust assembly 280′ and only a quiet, mutednoise is produced. The low-flow mode may correspond to apartially-closed throttle position such that low-flow mode may beengaged when vehicle 2 is decelerating, operating in cruise control,operating at low speeds, and/or in non-sport drive mode. Exhaustassembly 280′ may be configured to allow the operator to selectivelyengage the low-flow mode when it is desirable to operate vehicle 2 inthe non-sport drive mode, for example when driving in a neighborhood.Alternatively, the ECU may automatically operate exhaust assembly 280′in the low-flow mode, at specific throttle positions, or when vehicle 2is in the non-sport drive mode.

In one embodiment, the position of exhaust assembly 280 or 280′ may belowered in order to lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2.

As shown in FIG. 35, utility vehicle 2 may include doors 222. Doors 222include a recessed outer portion 224. The recessed outer portion 224decreases the weight of doors 222, which may decrease the overall weightof vehicle 2 and, therefore, lower the center of gravity of vehicle 2.

The inner surface of doors 222 is generally flat and smooth. In oneembodiment, the inner surface of doors 222 may be angled or curvedoutwardly to increase the space within operator area 14 for the operatorand passenger. Alternatively, doors 222 may include a living hinge whichallows at least a portion of doors 222 to extend outwardly to furtherincrease the space within operator area 14. With the curved oroutwardly-extending configuration of doors 222, the comfort of theoperator and the passenger within operator area 14 may be improved.

Doors 222 are coupled to bolster bars 140 with hinges 228. Hinges 228are coupled to tabs 141 of bolster bars 140. Additionally, doors 222include a latch assembly 226, which operably couples to frame assembly20. In one embodiment, doors 222 may be at least partially comprised ofaluminum and plastic, thereby making doors 222 light-weight. As such,doors 222 may decrease the weight of vehicle 2 and lower the center ofgravity of vehicle 2. In one embodiment, vehicle 2 may include sidenets, rather than doors 222. The side nets may be configured to latch ina similar manner to latch assembly 226. Further details about doors 222of vehicle 2 may be disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/829,743, filed on May 31, 2013, the complete disclosure ofwhich is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Referring to FIGS. 36 and 37, an alternative embodiment of utilityvehicle 2 is shown as utility vehicle 2′. Utility vehicle 2′ of FIGS. 36and 37 is similar to utility vehicle 2 of FIGS. 1-35, with likereference numerals indicating like parts having like structure andfunctionality, except as detailed herein. As shown in FIG. 36, utilityvehicle 2′ has front end 4 and rear end 6. A plurality of groundengaging members, including front wheels 8′ and rear wheels 10′, supportutility vehicle 2′ on the ground surface. Illustratively, the widthbetween the outer sides of rear wheels 10′ defines a width of vehicle2′, which may be approximately 50-65 inches. Illustratively, the widthbetween the centers of the hubs of rear wheels 10 is approximately 60inches, when measured at ride height without any payload.

Referring to FIG. 36, a cab frame assembly 150′ is coupled to frameassembly 20 and includes front upstanding members 152, rear upstandingmembers 154, longitudinal members 156, front cross-member 158, rearupper cross-member 160, rear lower cross-member 162, and diagonalmembers 400. An upper end of diagonal members 400 is coupled to rearupper cross-member 160 with coupler assemblies 130 and a lower end ofdiagonal members 400 is coupled to rear frame portion 26.Illustratively, diagonal members 400 are angled downwardly over cargobox 12.

Additionally, vehicle 2′ may include doors 222′. Doors 222′ are coupledto bolster bars 140 and partially enclose operator area 14. Furtherdetails about doors 222′ of vehicle 2′ may be disclosed in U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/829,743, filed on May 31,2013, the complete disclosure of which is expressly incorporated byreference herein.

Referring to FIG. 37, vehicle 2′ includes a front suspension assembly170′ and a rear suspension assembly 300′. Rear suspension assembly 300′is positioned generally rearward of powertrain assembly 250 at rear end6 of utility vehicle 2′. Similar to rear suspension assembly 300 of FIG.28, rear suspension assembly 300′ of FIG. 37 includes upper alignmentarms 302′, lower alignment arms 304′, shock absorbers 306′, and atorsion bar 308′. In one embodiment, rear suspension assembly 300′ isconfigured for approximately 12-14 inches of travel. Illustratively,rear suspension assembly 300′ may be configured for approximately 13.2inches of travel.

An outer end of upper and lower alignment arms 302′, 304′ is coupled tohub assemblies 310′ of rear wheels 10′. A lower end of shock absorber306′ is coupled to lower alignment arm 304. Torsion bar 308′ extendsgenerally in a U-shape and is positioned along the inner sides of shockabsorbers 306′. Torsion bar 308 is coupled to upper alignment arms 302′.Illustrative rear suspension assembly 300′ of vehicle 2′ may beapproximately 10 inches wider than rear suspension assembly 300 ofvehicle 2 (FIG. 28).

As shown in FIG. 37, front suspension assembly 170′ includes upperalignment arms 172′, lower alignment arms 174′, shock absorbers 176′,and a torsion bar 178′. Upper and lower alignment arms 172′, 174′ arecoupled to a hub assembly 180′ of front wheels 8′. Steering arms 192′are positioned intermediate upper alignment arms 172′ and loweralignment arms 174′. Additionally, steering arms 192′ are coupled to hubassemblies 180′. In one embodiment, front suspension assembly 170′ isconfigured for approximately 10-13 inches of travel. Illustratively,front suspension assembly 170′ may be configured for approximately 12.3inches of travel.

The lower end of shock absorbers 176′ is coupled to upper alignment arms172′ through a bracket 177′. Bracket 177′ is also coupled to rods 186′,which extend generally vertically and also couple with torsion bar 178′.Illustratively, shock absorbers 176′ are operably coupled to torsion bar178′ with rods 186′. As such, movement may be transmitted betweentorsion bar 178′ and shock absorbers 176′. Illustrative front suspensionassembly 170′ of vehicle 2′ may be approximately 10 inches wider thanfront suspension assembly 170 of vehicle 2 (FIG. 28).

As with vehicle 2 of FIGS. 1-35, the center of gravity of vehicle 2′ maybe lowered by positioning various components of powertrain assembly 250,power steering assembly 190, front suspension assembly 170′, and/or rearsuspension assembly 300′ lower on vehicle 2′. Additionally, the centerof gravity of vehicle 2′ may be lowered by comprising portions of frameassembly 20 and cab frame assembly 150′ of light-weight materials, suchas aluminum, carbon fiber, and/or polymeric materials, rather thansteel. As such, portions of vehicle 2′ may be adhered or otherwisebonded together, rather than welded.

While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design,the present invention may be further modified within the spirit andscope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended tocover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using itsgeneral principles. Further, this application is intended to cover suchdepartures from the present disclosure as come within known or customarypractices in the art to which this invention pertains.

1.-39. (canceled)
 40. A utility vehicle, comprising: a plurality ofground engaging members; a frame assembly supported by the groundengaging members; and a powertrain assembly supported by the frameassembly and including: an engine; a transmission operably coupled tothe engine; an air intake assembly fluidly coupled to the engine; and anexhaust assembly fluidly coupled to the engine, the exhaust assemblybeing configured to selectively regulate a flow of exhaust from theengine in response to at least one of a drive mode, an operator input,and a throttle position.
 41. The utility vehicle of claim 40, whereinthe exhaust assembly includes a first exhaust body, a second exhaustbody, a first passageway, a second passageway, and a valve assembly, thevalve assembly being configured to direct exhaust from the enginethrough one of the first and second passageways in response to at leastone of the drive modes, the operator input, and the throttle position.42. The utility vehicle of claim 41, wherein the valve assembly is openwhen the utility vehicle is operating in a high-flow mode, and the valveassembly is at least partially closed when the utility vehicle isoperating in a low-flow mode.
 43. The utility vehicle of claim 42,wherein a sound emanating from the exhaust assembly is greater when inthe high-flow mode than in the low-flow mode.
 44. The utility vehicle ofclaim 41, further comprising an engine control unit operably coupled tothe engine and the exhaust assembly, wherein the engine control unit isconfigured to control a position of the valve assembly in response tothe throttle position.